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You Quiz on the Block: 4 Most Memorable Guests

IU on Yoo Quiz on the Block. Photo: 유 퀴즈 온 더 튜브/YouTube

On the September 1 episode of You Quiz on the Block, the legendary girl group Girl’s Generation reunited—finally—after four years since their last activities as eight. Viewers were regaled with new stories as the girls reminisced of their 14 years as the nation’s leading girl group. Now, if you’re looking for other outstanding episodes of the show, here are other personalities that have made Yoo Jaesuk and Jo Seho’s program a must-watch:

1. IU

The Nation’s Sweetheart is definitely a fixture in Korean contemporary pop culture – she’s a singer, she composes some of the songs, has a constant presence in ads and product endorsements, not to mentioned she has also acted on both television and even on film. But one thing she hasn’t done much is giving interviews, so much so that even if she had been involved in a number of scandals and controversies especially in the earlier years of her career, the public is still left wanting more, hoping to know her better.

So, it came as no surprise that her You Quiz on the Block guesting just in April this year to promote her album Lilac eventually became one of the show’s highest-rating episodes. She did not disappoint at all as she revealed quite a lot during the interview, including her struggles with self-hatred that she reflected in the songs she composed. As for her acting career, she admitted feeling a lot of commonalities with her character in the drama My Mister, which a lot of people considered too dark, although many were impressed with her performance.

2. Gong Yoo

When Gong Yoo went to You Quiz on the Block to talk about his film Seobok late last year, people were reminded why he continues to be one of the most well-loved personalities in Korean showbiz. Actually, he started off by claiming that he, as Gong Jichul (his birth name), is just a normal person whose personality doesn’t stand out and whose life is not as extraordinary as Gong Yoo the actor. He adds that this may be the reason that he likes being an actor – because he gets to play more exciting characters who are braver and get to do things that he may not have the courage to act on in real life.

The actor also commented on his co-star Lee Dongwook, who sent a snack and coffee truck to the location where the interview was conducted. He claimed that the Grim Reaper to his Goblin is a smart one who wanted to hit three birds (i.e., endearing himself to Gong Yoo and the two hosts) with one stone by sending the coffee truck. He further commented that his friend is a real fox, referring to Lee Dongwook’s role as gumiho (a mythical nine-tailed fox) in Tale of the Nine-Tailed.

Finally, Jo Seho also played a recording of Gong Yoo reading a Korean translation of Australian poet Erin Hanson’s Not, in relation to the episode’s theme of “How to Live.” If you still weren’t swooning at the man, the poem reading was definitely the final guarantee you will.

3. Ju Jihoon

Kingdom lead actor Ju Jihoon made sure no stone was unturned to make his guest appearance in You Quiz on the Block as memorable as possible. The guest wore a leather jumpsuit to the interview, leaving the two hosts in awe of their guest’s fashion statement, with Jo Seho left commenting, “Just wow.” The Princess Hours star is still somehow getting used to his newfound fame as the face of Netflix’s hit show Kingdom that when he was asked how it feels to be an international star, he answered “I feel bitter.” After everyone in the audience laughed, he corrected himself by saying that he actually meant he feels dazed about the experience of international stardom.

Netflix’s Kingdom is what the actor considers his second wind in his acting career. After experiencing a phenomenal rise to his popularity with his debut performance in Princess Hours, his career immediately took a blow after he was found guilty of drug use in 2009. After enlisting in the military and making moderately successful comebacks, his career experienced a major resurgence with the two Along With the Gods movies, followed by his role in Kingdom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAHQuZC2hu4&t=175s

4. BTS

Of course, this list will not be complete without acknowledging the March 24, 2021 appearance of the world’s biggest musical group, BTS. After all, the show dedicated a full episode to feature the fabulous seven only, not dividing the show with other personalities like it usually does. The group revealed several details of their struggles when they started in the music business as they faced several obstacles, from shoddy treatment when they guested in variety shows to sharing one bedroom and one bathroom for seven people. Jimin even had a long-standing (albeit one-sided) feud with V about who gets to sleep on the upper deck of the bunk bed they shared.

A majority of ARMY may know BTS since DNA or Spring Day eras, but as far back as 2016, the group was still facing a number of challenges despite already slowly gaining an international following. Suga and Jungkook narrated that they were mistreated in variety shows, although they were not sure if those encounters were done in jest or if there was some sort of malice on them. In the 2016 Busan One Asia Festival, their live performance was eventually cut from the TV broadcast. Imagine if a TV station were to do this now? There would be protests in front of the TV station the same day for sure.

Who have been your favorite guests on You Quiz on the Block? We hope the show features more legendary interviews on future episodes.

Featured image: IU on Yoo Quiz on the Block. Photo: 유 퀴즈 온 더 튜브/YouTube
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How Many Music Show Wins Has SEVENTEEN Collected?

SEVENTEEN TTT September 1, 2021. Photo: pledis_17/Twitter

For K-pop fandoms, expressing and proving their love and support to their idols is a top priority. Aside from streaming their group’s music videos non-stop and making sure they have bought as many copies of their albums as possible (got to complete all those collectible photo cards for all members, after all), one concrete way of making fans and idols connect is through music show wins. After all, in order for a song to win in a music program, it needs to do well in music charts: sales, downloads, streams, and even radio airplay, as well as—depending on the music program—a good dose of fan votes.

Carats, the SEVENTEEN fandom, has been quite successful in making SEVENTEEN win in these shows. Let’s see how successful they have been since 2016, when the group first won for Pretty U. Take note that Music Bank Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo are the three major music programs since they are broadcasted on free TV, while The Show, Show Champion, and Mnet’s M Countdown are shown on cable TV.

Music Bank (13 wins)
Among the three free TV music programs, SEVENTEEN has been most successful in KBS’ Music Bank, where they have managed to snag 13 1irst place trophies, including two for their most recent Ready to Love comeback. They won their second triple crown for Home the day after they first won it in M Countdown. Their other eight #1s include wins for BOOMBOOM, Don’t Wanna Cry, Clap, Thanks, Oh My!, Fear, Left & Right, and HOME;RUN.

Show! Music Core (2 wins)
MBC’s Show! Music Core is one of the more complex music shows, as they have, since 2020, been tinkering with their criteria every three months or so. SEVENTEEN has won twice in Music Core for Home in 2019 and Left & Right in 2020.

Inkigayo (2wins)
SBS’ Inkigayo is probably the most difficult music program to win in, with its chart system directly connected with the official national Gaon Chart. SEVENTEEN has won two Inkigayo trophies, the first time for Home on February 3, 2019, and the second time on November 1, 2020, for HOME;RUN.

The Show (2 wins)
Since The Show is shown on SBS MTV, a lot of purists claim that having a win here is not really that big a deal since the audience is mainly composed of those who have cable TV only. Moreover, the show’s chart system depends on 15% of votes on Starpass, SBS MTV’s app where fans can vote for their bias’ release.

SVT has only won twice on The Show, on its May 30 and June 13 episodes for Don’t Wanna Cry.

Show Champion (13 wins)
Show Champion broadcasted by MBC Music has been the most generous music program to the boys, with 13 wins since 2016 when they won for two weeks in May with their 2016 release Pretty U, and just recently in their Ready to Love comeback. They also won once with BOOMBOOM (Dec 21, 2016), Clap (Nov 15, 2017), Thanks (Valentine’s Day 2018), Oh My (July 25, 2018), Left & Right (July 1, 2020), and HOME;RUN (October 28), while they won twice for Don’t Wanna Cry (June 7 and 14, 2017), and Home (January 30 and February 13, 2019).

M Countdown (10 wins)
The boys also have a pretty impressive record in M Countdown, MNet’s signature music chart program. Their M Countdown record is pretty similar to their Show Champion one, although their first win in MNet was with BOOMBOOM, they didn’t win for Thanks and Clap, and they only won once for Don’t Wanna Cry. They won for Fear on September 26, 2019 and got their first triple crown for Home earlier that year.

A note on Very Nice
So, SEVENTEEN has pretty much a consistent record in winning music show #1s for almost every comeback since Pretty U, which means the groups has only not won anything for the two releases before Pretty U (which are Mansae and Adore U), Hit and the absolute banger Very Nice.

Hit is understandable since it didn’t even chart that well and the album it was in, An Ode, was not promoted as effectively. But Very Nice? The song that until now, many (including this writer) considers as one of the group’s best songs ever? For music shows, it sometimes boils down to the competition. During the month of July, when Very Nice was released, songs that dominated the charts and won the music programs were Taeyeon’s Why, the Wonder Girls’ Why So Lonely, and alas, Navillera by music show “monsters” GFriend, a song that went on to win 14 music show trophies, including three triple crowns in The Show, M Countdown, and Inkigayo.

Obviously, music show wins are not an absolute measurement of a song’s success, but I’m sure you’ll find a Carat somewhere in Caratland who hasn’t gotten over this missed opportunity.

With rumors abound that the group is staging another comeback before the year ends, here’s hoping that Carats will have more opportunities to support SEVENTEEN by giving them more music program wins.

Featured image: SEVENTEEN TTT September 1, 2021. Photo: pledis_17/Twitter
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Celebrating BTS’s Bunny Jeon Jungkook

Jungkook's BTS Festa 2021 photo sketch. Photo: BTS (방탄소년단)/Facebook

Each year before September 1, ARMYs across the globe make intricate plans to celebrate the golden maknae of BTS: Jeon Jungkook.


2021 is no different even with strict lockdowns in place. In South Korea, the K-pop act’s home, a themed custom-made themed cruise ship will sail on the Han River in Seoul. As of writing, his birthday ads are already up in one of South Korea’s subway stations.

There are also bus wraps, train wraps, and flower paths:

In the US, ARMYs can immerse in three floors of art exhibit dedicated to Jungkook at Lightbox in Manhattan, NY. There are also cafe events in both New York and Chicago. From August 30 to September 5, “Happy Jungkook Day” will flash on multiple billboards in Times Square, while ARMYs in Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand will see nothing less than large-scale digital billboards.  There are multiple cafe events, PR trucks, and mall ads in Japan. In Europe, digital billboards in Paris and Spain, and subway ads in the UK will make it known to the world that September 1 is Jungkook Day.

Fans have also been actively donating to charity on Jungkook’s behalf, raising over $10,000 as of writing. ARMYs in the Philippines is collaborating with Liter of Light, a non-profit organization, to create a solar artwork visible from the sky. They have pledged to donate the solar lights from the event to communities without proper electricity. In China, where he has the strongest fanbase (credits to Baidu JEON JUNGKOOK BAR) art classes will be held on his behalf in the hopes of helping kids get closer to their dreams.

The list does not even include offline activities yet, and still, it goes on. How ARMYs celebrate his birthday keeps getting grander each year, too. A profession of love from a fanbase that is as phenomenal as the group. Evidently, nothing can come between ARMY and Kookie, or any BTS member for that matter.

Where is all the love for BTS’s bunny coming from?
Jeon Jungkook: Golden maknae to adorable bunny and back to being lit on stage

BTS has always been praised for their duality, and it’s hard not to notice it on Jungkook who never disappoints. From being smooth, soft, and hot within seconds in Butter:

to being BTS’s representative when it comes to girl group dances

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlHQb9ygjGY
J-Hope and Jungkook dancing to Red Velvet on Star Show 360


BTS dancing to K-pop girl group dances on Weekly Idol

and back to being fierce and adorable at the same time in Permission to Dance:

Off the stage, the golden maknae shows that his heart is more golden. Many ARMYs find it adorable how Jungkook called his mom in Run BTS:

(Bonus: It’s the same episode where Kookie’s eomma affectionally said saranghae, the Korean for I love you, to Jimin).

And equally adorable how Suga’s dad calls Jungkook, “Soondoongie” (순둥이), which translates to naive, pure, or very gentle person. A testament of his character whether on the stage or irl.

And who can forget Jungkook’s crying incident with Jimin?

BTS’s guesting on Yoo Jae Suk’s Yoo Quiz on the Block showed a more intimate side of Kookie:

“By confronting things and suffering from it, I was able to build my current self. So I am thankful for the members for criticizing, teaching, and always taking care of me.” – Jeon Jungkook

And even when confronted, he gets bashful:

Beneath his strong hip thrusts, muscles, and powerful vocals lies the true Jungkook: A kind-hearted softee raised by BTS.

Just look at him with his new pet, the now-famous chicken from the set of Daechwita.

 

Beyond the stage, Jeon Jungkook gives all of us more reasons why it’s easy to love him. Trite but true: More than being BTS’s golden maknae, his golden personality is what stands out.

Happy birthday, Kookie!

Bonus: Enjoy this clip of Jungkook bunny for BTS’s Halloween dance practice 2016 (21st Century Girl)

Feature image: Jungkook’s BTS Festa 2021 photo sketch. Photo: BTS (방탄소년단)/FacebookBTS (방탄소년단)/Facebook
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Memorable Cameos of K-pop Girl Groups and Actresses in K-Dramas

Hyeri and Lee Sungkyung in Record of Youth with Park Bo Gum. Photo: tvN DRAMA/YouTube

In our obsessive consumption of Korean dramas, I am sure you’ve come across an episode where you saw someone and asked yourself, “That store manager sure looks familiar” or “”Isn’t that (name) of (name of girl group)?” and there’s a huge chance you’re right. There are quite a lot of people who want to be in the Korean entertainment industry, but (unfortunately), the work is mostly concentrated with a few people. Directors and writers love working with the people they have had great experiences with, celebrities love to have their friends (from those in their birth year-lines to their agency-mates) and former colleagues appear in their shows. Finally, agencies of actors in the main cast would sometimes request the show’s producers to have other talents on their stable to stage an appearance or two.

Here are some cameos from ladies in recent k-drama history that have proven to be more popular than their  five seconds promised:

Red Velvet performs in Descendants of the Sun 

I’m sure a lot of us who watched this Red Velvet cameo wondered if we were still watching the last episode of the Song-Song couple’s drama or if we’ve stumbled upon a never-before-seen episode of Real Men. Alas, Irene and the girls were included in the story, performing their 2015 hit Dumb Dumb for the Special Forces to boost their morale, which does happen to real girl groups who are regular visitors of military camps (think Brave Girls who esperienced a career renaisance after years of performing in front of enlisted personnel). The thing about RV’s stint is that Capt. Yoo (Song Joong Ki) somehow thought it would be a great idea to tell his girlfriend by that time, Dr. Kang (Song Hyekyo) that he will be in a confidential “operation.” Alas, Resident Lee Chi-hoon (Shinee’s Onew) saw him and and Sgt. Seo (Jin Goo) in a fancam video, with the captain proudly carrying a sign that reads, “Red Velvet over my girlfriend.” Dr. Kang went on full denial mode, saying “That’s not Yoo Si Jin” while crushing the water bottle she had in her hand.

Blackpink Jisoo in Arthdal Chronicles

Speaking of Song Joong Ki, another idol made an appearance in the next series he starred in after DoTS. In Episode 7 of Arthdal Chronicles, Blackpink’s visual appeared in a flashback scene as Sae Na Rae, Sa Ya’s (Joong Ki’s character) love interest. Though Jisoo didn’t have any lines, the appearance that didn’t even last for more than 10 seconds went viral, with Blinks going full throttle by making the hashtag #JisooOnArthdalChrinicles top worldwide Twitter trends when the episode aired on June 30, 2019. It should also be noted that before Jisoo debuted to join Lisa, Jennie, and Rose in 2016, she had some speaking lines in her debut cameo in The Producers, where she played a trainee who was given the chance to appear on Two Days, One Night with the show’s main character Cindy (played by IU) and her fellow YG idols Seungyoon of WINNER and Dara of the legendary 2NE1. 

Bae Suzy in My Love from the Star

By the time Suzy appeared in the 2014 hit drama My Love from a Star, she was already an established career, both in singing as a member of miss A and in acting with credits such as the massive hits Architecture 101, Dream High, and Gu Family Book. In My Love from a Star, which reunited her with her Dream High co-star Kim Soohyun, she also introduced herself as alien Do Minjoo’s student… wait for it… Go Hyemi! She takes things further by claiming that the professor looks like her ex-boyfriend named Sam Dong. Dream High fans were instantly sent down memory lane when the mini-reunion was interrupted by a jealous Songyi who was wearing ahjumma gear to mask her identity. It was sweet and just perfect respite that sustained us for another three years, before Suzy made another cameo, this time in Soohyun’s movie, Real.  

Go Ara in Hospital Playlist 

Fans of the writing-directing tandem of Lee Woojung and Shin Wonho are always on the lookout for actors they have worked with in their past projects to appear in their current series. That has happened multiple times with eternal Reply father Sung Dongil as a different sort of “father” (a Catholic priest) in Hospital Playlist and Taek and Sunwoo’s parents in Reply 1988 as Ikjun’s (Jo Jung Suk) patient and her husband in this new show. Another notable cameo in Hospital Playlist was Reply 1994′s Go Ara playing Dr. Ikjun’s ex-girlfriend who eventually became the top actress… Go Ara! One thing’s for sure: The number of actors and actresses making cameo appearances in shows connected with the Lee-Shin partnership is testament to how well-loved the tandem is by everyone who has worked with them. 

Hyeri and Lee Sungkyung in Record of Youth

Speaking of shows by the Lee-Shin tandem, who could forget the adorable Dukseon-Taek team-up of Reply 1988? Shippers of the love team got excited when it was revealed that Hyrei will have a cameo appearance in Bogum’s drama Record of Youth, where he was paired with Park So-dam. Alas, fans were a bit disappointed as Hyeri, who played an actress, did not appear in any scenes with Bogum and instead only had dialogue with Sodam’s character Jeongha, whom she hired as her makeup artist on special occasions. It was weightlifting fairy Lee Sungkyung who played the role of Jin Seowoo, a model-turned-actress who has known Sa Hyejun (Bogum’s character) in their modelling days and was working with him again, this time with both of them as actors. It wasn’t really something Jeongha was supposed to be jealous of, and it is actually lawyer Ji-ah (played by Seol Inah) who has had a tumultuous romantic past with Hyejun.

Featured image: Hyeri and Lee Sungkyung in Record of Youth with Park Bo Gum. Photo: tvN DRAMA/YouTube
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Call of Duty: Five K-pop Idols Due for Enlistment in 2021

Best friends Mino and P.O. in New Journey to The West. Photo: tvN Asia/YouTube

Enlistment. The dreaded E-word for K-pop fans everywhere. Every year, fans go through the painful process of sending their idols off to serve in the military. South Korean law requires all able-bodied Korean men aged 18 to 28 (or 30, according to the revised military enlistment law that will allow entertainers to apply for deferment, if they are recognized by the government to have elevated South Korea’s image globally) to undergo mandatory military service. 

Most 1993-born idols—who are or will turn 28 this year—have already enlisted, but there are still quite a few who have yet to enter military service. Here are some idols born in 1993 that are due to enlist this year: 

Block B’s P.O. (born 2 February 1993) 

P.O debuted with Block B as one of the group’s rappers in 2011, and in the group’s first sub-unit, Bastarz, in 2015. He is also an actor, making his acting debut in the 2017 SBS drama Temperature of Love. He has since landed roles in other dramas such as Encounter, Hotel Del Luna, and more. 

P.O is also a variety show regular. He has been a fixed cast member of New Journey to the West (NJTTW) with his best friend, Song Mino, Great Escape, and Amazing Saturday since 2018. He is also on Kang’s Kitchen, a NJTTW spin-off program. 

Winner’s Mino (born 30 March 1993)

The rapper and producer has been active as a member of Winner since 2014. Following his runner-up finish on Show Me the Money season 4, Mino has since released numerous singles. He also debuted as a soloist in 2018 with his first studio album, XX. Mino has been a fixed cast member of New Journey to the West since 2017, which his best friend since high school P.O. joined in 2018. He also has his own web variety series on YouTube, Mino’s Pilot. Later this year, he will be appearing as a producer on Show Me the Money season 10. 

Mino made his official debut as a painter at the Special Exhibition for Emerging Artists (SEEA) 2019 art exhibit at the Seongnam Art Center’s 808 Gallery. His works were also displayed at London’s Saatchi Gallery in 2020 as part of the Korean Eye 2020: Creativity Daydream exhibit. 

VIXX’s Ravi (born 15 February 1993)

VIXX’s Ravi has had an active career both as the group’s main rapper and as a solo artist. The group known as the “Concept Kings” may be on hiatus due to military enlistment, but Ravi has made sure that he and his group stay firmly on top of Starlights’ radar. He has released several solo EPs and mixtapes since 2016; in 2020, he released his first full-length album. He has also been busy collaborating with various artists as a featured rapper, songwriter, and producer. Ravi is currently a regular cast member of the popular travel-variety show 2 Days 1 Night and has guested in other TV and web variety shows.

Ravi has also been busy as the CEO of his own hip-hop label, GROOVL1N, which he set up in 2019. This year, he set up The L1VE, an agency that supports artists across different genres. 

B1A4’s Gongchan (born 14 August 1993) 

Singer and actor Gongchan has been active as the maknae of B1A4 since 2011. He debuted as an actor in the web drama Delicious Love in 2015. His most recent dramas include Lonely Enough to Love and the web series Mokkoji Kitchen. 

Gongchan has also been active in the variety show circuit, appearing as a guest on shows such as Celebrity Bromance and Knowing Brothers. He also hosted the music variety show Global Request Show: A Song for You season 4 with former Super Junior Kangin and f(x)’s Amber in 2015.

DAY6’s Young K (born 19 December 1993) 

Young K is a member of the pop-rock band DAY6 as the group’s bassist, rapper and vocalist. He is also part of the group’s first sub-unit, Even of Day, with fellow members Dowoon and Wonpil. The sub-unit debuted in 2020. 

Young K is enlisting as a Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) soldier on 12 October. Before his enlistment, he will be releasing his first solo EP Eternal in September.  

Of these ’93-liners, who will you miss the most?

Featured image: Best friends Mino and P.O. in New Journey to The West. Photo: tvN Asia/YouTube
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K-pop Girl Groups Stages For the Ages

Oh My Girl performs Destiny in reality show, Queendom. Photo: Mnet K-POP/YouTube

Since we’ve already covered some iconic performance stages from boy groups, it’s just right for the ladies to get some attention. Here are a number of performances that prove that girl power is indeed alive and well in k-pop. 

SNSD Grants Wishes From a Helipad

There was a time (c. 2009-2012, to be exact) when the music show Music Core blessed fans with “outdoor performances,” which for the most part… worked in their “fresh” approach. Infinite danced on water to their debut song Come Back Again (probably a tribute to their MV where the boys danced in the rain?), Rainbow sang To Me with colored fountains as background, SISTAR sang Push Push in a waterpark (yes, Music Core producers had a water fixation for a time), A-Jax in a clearing in the middle of a field, APink in what looked like a countryside garden with white statues guarding them. And who can forget the iconic Sunny Hill performance of Midnight Circus in a condemned garage with flattened cars piled on top of each other serving as their background? But that is totally dangerous and deserves its own article. 

We are here to talk about the Nation’s Girl Group singing Genie, wearing their navy uniform costumes in a skyscraper rooftop helipad! As the girls were in their sexy navy garb, one would expect Music Core to exploit that element to their advantage, bringing the SNSD live performance to a marina maybe, or an oil tanker? But no, they opted to have the girls sing while kicking imaginary dirt (that choreography actually has a name – leg beauty dance) in a helipad.

And in an era where drone videography was still an alien concept, the show used actual helicopters to circle around the rooftop, with cameramen taking overhead footage of the performance. Actual helicopters and rooftop rental – that should have cost a leg! Fortunately, the show’s efforts paid off as the SNSD performance holds the record as the most-watched performance in Korean television history, with 8.6 million viewers.

Red Velvet Kills It in Hostile Territory, Twice!

Be warned: This is definitely not your usual live stage. 

It was April 2018 and for the two Koreas to show a warming of their relationship, South Korean musical acts went to Pyongyang to stage a two-day concert entitled “Spring is Coming” . Among those acts was Red Velvet. Yes, Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Yeri went north of the 38th parallel to spread some happiness, and how! Before you complain, Joy had to finish filming scenes for her drama, so her schedule did not permit her to visit Kim Jongun. 

To say that the performances were scary is an understatement. Take note that North and South Korea are still technically at war and are only enjoying an extended ceasefire, so just thinking about that should scare the living hell out of any performer. The girl’s first performance in the 1,500-seater East Pyongyang Grand Theatre was Red Flavor. Song – perfect, outfits – honestly, I was scared for Seulgi and Yeri who were wearing shorts but with knee-length boots, audience – stoic throughout except for this one lady who smiled during Seulgi’s first lines. Seriously, watching that stage made me want to pee in my pants. 

After Red Flavor and a short talk came Bad Boy.. Song – scary. Choreography – scary, with the gun gestures.   And true enough, in an episode of Knowing Bros, Seulgi admitted to having agreed to change the rifle cocking move she was supposed to execute with something like her left hand cupping her mouth, like she was going to whisper something. Alas, during the performance, her nerves got the better of her, so she forgot the agreed replacement, though she had some sense to convert her rifle into a pistol just in time. Luckily, the audience still received it well and no wars were declared. Besides, various credible sources claimed that the supreme leader was so smitten by Red Velvet’s leader that those small incidents can be easily ignored.

GFriend Risks Life for Stage

Idol groups performing under the rain and consequently, a wet stage are not that rare, with countless members getting caught on fancams suffering from all sorts of accidents from small slips to face-first dives.  Examples of “accident-prone” idols include SISTAR’s Bora who famously fractured her thumb in the middle of singing Shady Girl as she used her hand to balance herself as she fell. The performance had to be stopped, the rapper’s thumbs had to be bandaged, and guess what, the group redid the entire performance before the injured member was sent to the hospital. For a group whose footwear options in their live performances were limited to stilettos and chunky platform heels (their choice), almost all members have been victimized by wet stages. 

Oh My Girl, WJSN, and LABOUM have also had a fair share of wet stages, with some performances having the members wear raincoats while dancing. How’s that for dedication?   

But perhaps the most memorable idol wet live stage in history is GFriend’s Me Gustas Tu performance at the 2015 Hyundai Eco-Driving Concert. From the start, you can already see some of the members kick water to the side in vain attempts to dry the stage. For a close to four-minute performance, main vocal Yuju fell not once, not twice, not thrice, not four times, but FIVE times, with the final spill only, milliseconds before she had to do a vocal run adlib. The other members also slipped at least once, but it was simply amazing how Yuju survived without injuries save for some minor bruises and a bit of trauma, for sure. 

Even if the audience cheered them on by chanting “gwenchana” (it’s ok!) as they exited the stage, you can’t help but feel sorry for the girls. But then, these stages give way to the birth of legendary groups, which begs the question, when should death-defying performances be acceptable and when should groups put their foot down and say no for their health and safety? .  

Oh My Girl Makes Destiny Their Own

In one of the most jaw-dropping reversals in Korean television history, the reality competition Queendom had participating girl groups perform trademark songs of their competition. (G)-IDLE performed 2NE1’s Fire, while Park Bom performed (G)-IDLE’s HANN. MAMAMOO went full-throttle sexy with AOA’s Good Luck, while usually-sexy AOA went full-on girl crush with their rendition of Egotistic. 

So, we were supposed to end up with the two remaining groups, Oh My Girl and Lovelyz exchanging songs, a scenario both groups wanted to avoid since their concepts are too similar. However, Lovelyz won a challenge, which rewarded them with their own say on what song they will perform in the next round. Thus, instead of singing an OMG track, they went with Brown Eyed Girls’ militaristic Sixth Sense. With no available options for them, Oh My Girl ended up signing the usually bright Destiny, but with a twist. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5BseJ4fxzA

Instead of doing a teenybopper version of the track as they were expected to do, the girls of WM Entertainment went the mystical route, giving the song an ethnic and mysterious feel with traditional musical instruments. With resident rapper Mimi adding an additional rap verse and the choreography undergoing a major do-over, the OMG is way distinct and unrecognizable from Lovelyz’s version. The performance received overwhelmingly positive reviews from viewers and even from the contestants themselves. Oh My Girl’s cover of Destiny went on to chart as one of the highest songs from the reality show. Not bad at all for a version of a song long identified with another group. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of iconic girl group stages. So, here’s hoping we can have more iconic stages in the future.

Featured image: Oh My Girl performs Destiny in reality show, Queendom. Photo: Mnet K-POP/YouTube
Categories
BTS FEATURES K-POP ARTISTS LATEST STORIES

Five Boy Group Stages You Should Watch

BTS performs On at the Grand Central Terminal for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Photo: Live Nation Chicago/Facebook

Looking for amazing live performances so you can calibrate your standards. Here are five performances to start you with. Take note that the following were not considered to keep the options limited:

  • Performances in year-end concerts and music awards shows that are usually medleys 
  • Performances in a group’s own concerts
  • Collaboration stages with two or more groups

B2ST’s Memorable and Beautiful Night in Gwanghwamun

Only a few idol groups can boast of having performed in Gwanghwamun Plaza. An iconic Seoul landmark that boasts of monuments to Admiral Yi Sun-sin (remember the 2014 epic movie The Admiral: Roaring Currents?) and King Sejeong (of hangul fame), the public square has been immortalized in the 2009 KBS hit series Iris, where a long gun chase scene was filmed. And if you are an ELF, you may have listened to Kyuhyun’s debut song, At Gwanghwamun countless times. But although the area has been designed and renovated for cultural events, no idol group has had the chance to perform in it. 

That all changed in 2012 when B2ST filmed their comeback performance of Beautiful Night for Inkigayo in Gwanghwamun Plaza. On July 26 at 11 PM (an hour short of midnight, which may be a nod to their EP’s title, Midnight Sun), an estimated crowd of 4,000 fans flocked to the square to see Junhyung, Dongwoon, Yoseob, Gikwang, Doojoon, and Hyunseung stage a guerilla performance with the historic gate as their background. It was a beautiful night, indeed as the group’s performance on the makeshift stage gave a similar feel as the song’s MV, which showed them performing before an American crowd in a US location.

With their Gwanghwamun live stage, B2ST not only successfully proved themselves as one of the most popular groups of k-pop’s second generation, but also cemented themselves in the annals of Korean pop music history. 

The World Revolves Around BIGBANG

What can you say about BIGBANG, a group that treats each and every live stage performance like it’s part of their concert? Brash, high-energy, and loud are some words you can always use to describe their live stages. But when it comes to their ballads, how do they perform them? With intimacy and a lot of charisma, obviously. In the 424th episode of M Countdown, G Dragon, TOP, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri performed Loser very intimately, in a circular revolving stage, surrounded by VIPs loyally waving their yellow lightsticks. Watch this performance and dare say you’re not at the least impressed with their live performing skills. 

VIXX’s Shangri-La Remix at the 2017 MBC Music Festival

A list of memorable live stages would not be complete without the Concept Kings. VIXX has established themselves as a group that executes every single concept with so much slay that Starlights can only consider themselves the luckiest fandom in all of k-pop. Duality of darkness and light? Check with Hyde and subsequent Jekyll stages. A dark concept bordering on horror? Check with Voodoo. Sci-Fi futuristic love story? Check with Error. Polished but bordering on risque with chains and bondage? Check with Chained Up. Sexy nobility with aggressive hip-thrusting? Check with The Scentist. 

But nothing has been more iconic as a VIXX concept, at least in the aesthetic sense, than 2017’s Shangri-La. Six sexy men dancing in flowing robes? Check. Six sexy men dancing with fans? Check. Cherry blossom background? Check.  Each and every live performance of Shangri-La is simply beautiful to watch, and the 2017 MBC Music Festival performance with the group adding remix portions to the song only meant more dance breaks and aesthetic elements. As soon the group closed their fans and executed their ending pose, every viewer was left wanting more while being thoroughly satisfied. 

BTS puts ON a Show in Grand Central Terminal

How else can a groundbreaking group perform a historic song than staging a live performance in one of the world’s most iconic locations? And that’s exactly what BTS did when they performed the lead single off their album Map of the Soul: 7 in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. 

When the seven perform ON with dancers doubling as a post-apocalyptic drumline, even those who haven’t enlisted themselves as ARMY would surely appreciate this single-take live stage. As most, if not all of us, are quite spoiled with the work done by Korean music show camera operators, we may have a couple of items to critique with the American show’s shots, as some members get cut in some moments, but our nitpicking obviously doesn’t diminish our appreciation of this historic performance.

Thanks to SEVENTEEN

If you’re looking for excellent live stages, you can never go wrong with SEVENTEEN. Any and every single SEVENTEEN live stage is guaranteed to give you the best choreography, vocals, fashion, synchronization, and overall energy. And all of these factors are perfectly embodied in their comeback performance of Thanks on M Countdown in February 2018. 

The live vocals are flawless, the sharpness of the intense movements can cut anyone, the perfect balance between precision and flair of the transitions are glorious, and THE FORMATIONS! No words to describe the hard work displayed by the program’s cameramen in showcasing the group’s beautiful formations. The cuts from zoomed-in shots of some members to panoramic shots to overhead shots that show the formations in full effect are breathtaking. The 9.3 million views the video has gotten is a testament to the beauty of this masterpiece.

Watching these performances shows the amount of work and dedication our idols put into their live stages. A single performance is a result of countless hours of practice and vocal recording sessions all members subject themselves to.  And we haven’t even mentioned legendary performances from SHINHWA, Super Junior, EXO, and Infinite, to name a few. Here’s to more exciting live stages to come!

Feature image: BTS performs On at the Grand Central Terminal for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Photo: Live Nation Chicago/Facebook
Categories
FEATURES LATEST STORIES SUPER JUNIOR

Variety Kings: Super Junior

Super Junior's online variety show, SJ Global. Photo: SUPER JUNIOR/YouTube

The men of Super Junior have been in Korean entertainment for the last 15 years and have had numerous variety show appearances under their belts. Their crazy-happy personalities make them variety favorites—much to the delight of E.L.Fs everywhere.

You’re guaranteed to be rolling on the floor laughing by watching shows with any (or all!) of the Super Junior members in the cast. So, bring out the tteokbokki, ramyeon, and soju, and have your very own viewing party with these programs and web series: 

Super Junior Returns (2017 – present) 

Starring: All Super Junior members 

The plot: Super Junior Returns is an ongoing web series featuring all active Super Junior members. The first season documented their 8th album and comeback preparations. In season two, the members went on to show the best food around Japan. Season three featured the members’ individual schedules, as well as their 9th album preparations. The current season’s concept is all about fulfilling requests from E.L.Fs. 

Where to watch: VLive 

Knowing Brothers (2015 – present)

Starring: Heechul

The plot: Heechul is part of the fixed cast on Knowing Brothers, one of the most popular shows in South Korea today. Every week, “transfer students” come out on the program and are interviewed by the cast members. The guests also participate in activities such as games and skits. 

Where to watch: Netflix

My Little Old Boy (2016 – present) 

Starring: Heechul 

Plot: My Little Old Boy features celebrities’ mothers, as they observe and comment on the daily lives of their unmarried adult sons. Heechul and his mother, Kim Sun-ja, are in the show as part of the fixed cast. 

Where to watch: Viu (as Mom’s Diary)

Analog Trip (2019 – 2020)

Starring: Leeteuk, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Donghae and TVXQ’s Yunho and Changmin 

The plot: Super Junior and TVXQ go on a trip to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with time travel as their concept. They all go back to 2002, and in order to “return” to the present time, they had to complete several tasks and challenges.

Where to watch: YouTube

New Journey to the West (2017 – present) 

Starring: Kyuhyun

The plot: The show is inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West. Along with Kyuhyun, the program also stars Kang Hodong, Lee Sugeun, singer Eun Jiwon, actor Ahn Jaehyun, Winner’s Mino, and Block B’s P.O. For each season, the cast members dress up as different characters, go on a trip, and complete various missions to receive dragon balls that will grant their wishes. 

Where to watch: Viu, TvN D ENT channel on YouTube

Things that Make Me Groove (2020 – 2021) 

Starring: Kyuhyun

The plot: In Things that Make Me Groove, Kyuhyun sets out to find food that best complements alcohol. The program, a spin-off from New Journey to the West, shows the idol at home, as he invites different friends for a night of games and storytelling over food and alcohol. 

Where to watch: Channel Fullmoon on YouTube

SJ Global  (2021)

Starring: All Super Junior members 

The plot: Leeteuk, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun are the new employees at SJ Global, a small to medium-sized company that has been supporting Super Junior. This variety mini-series has the members take on office tasks to earn badges for the privilege to get off work early. They also go on a cooking challenge, attend a special class on sales pitching, and more. 

Where to watch: Super Junior’s YouTube channel

Super Junior is everywhere in the Korean entertainment industry indeed! What’s your favorite variety show in the list? What other programs do you love to watch?

 

Feature image: Super Junior’s online variety show, SJ Global. Photo: Super Junior/YouTube
Categories
FEATURES LATEST STORIES

Boo Seungkwan and His War With the English Language

SEVENTEEN. Photo: SEVENTEEN/Facebook

Boo Seungkwan, main vocalist of the 13-member group SEVENTEEN, doesn’t have a lot of struggles when it comes to abilities and talents. Singing skills? Top-notch. Variety sense? Natural. Comedic timing? Perfect. 

English language? Now, there’s a concern there. 

Mr. Boo’s struggles with the English language have been well-documented, and here are five moments that chronicle his battles, which can be considered as victories for us, his amused fans and the Carat fandom. 

When in Starbucks LA, Ordering in English is a Must

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW2q35PY5MU

On an episode of GOING SEVENTEEN, the members took a tour of Los Angeles and somehow found a Starbucks. Which should be okay, considering Vernon and Joshua were there to make ordering a breeze. 

Except they were not there.

Instead, English “experts” Jeonghan, DK, and Seungkwan bravely went inside the store to order two hot and three iced Americanos. But it doesn’t end there. DK gave Mr. Boo the task of inquiring about the unicorn frappuccino, a limited drink available only in selected stores.  

Seungkwan started out okay, telling the barista of the Americano orders. When it came to the 3rd item, our main vocalist, said the now-classic inquiry: 

“Excuse me, um. Can I? Uhh.. I have a question. In U.S… only… America. Starbucks…limited beverage… 있어요? Unicorn…”

– Boo, 2017

Luckily, the cashier read between the lines and informed the three giggling customers that the beverage is not available in their store. Boo Diva struggled for nothing, but I dare say, earned the respect of the English-speaking world.

Seungkwan, culinary language barrier conqueror

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF15YZM9mB8

This is an absolute classic. This moment came from Seungkwan’s livestream with Hoshi called Andromeda, where a kimbap-making competition was staged between Jun and Hoshi versus Seungkwan and Joshua. When Joshua poured a healthy amount of seasoning into his hand, Seungkwan thought he was going to put all of it into the kimbap they were making, prompting him to ask his partner in panic, 

“Oh my gosh. Your mistake? Oh my gosh what zyoo doing now… are you kidding me? Kimbap kidding?”

To which Joshua in his trademark calmness, apologized and said he was going to just “spray a little” of the seasoning into their dish. Upon realizing his partner’s intention, the usually high-strung Boo backpedaled, praising his partner with exclamations of “Oh, so… so genius!“

The pair won with their iconic “kimbap kidding” creation. 

Seungkwan, the standard of English quality

Here is one for the books. In footage from Seventeen TV, where the future members were still trainees, Mingming (one of the final SVT trainees who opted to leave Pledis in 2014, months before the boys were slated to debut) held an impromptu interview with star-shaped sunglasses-wearing Seungkwan, asking him to show everyone his English skills. Not one to stand down from a challenge, Seungkwan goes, 

“May I take two orders? I kkk… I work… “

To which Vernon reacted by saying, “Oh gawd. What are you doing?”

Baby SK eggs him on, asking, “What are you talking about?” 

To which the native English speaker answers, “I’m talking about your very low quality English.”

Boo Diva was not having any of it, aggressively asking, “Low quality? Low quality???” Then in Korean, asserts, “I’m the best quality. I’m the best quality.” End of story.

Seungkwan and Joshua strike again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn246C30Mfs

In behind-the-scenes footage of the Mansae music video filming, Seungkwan was caught reading an English book in front of the camera. After reading the title of a chapter without a hitch, he got stuck with what sounded like instructions for an activity. Joshua then swoops in, reading the entire passage without even blinking, to which our variety ace can only stare at him in mock disdain. 

After Joshua’s display of impeccable English reading skills, Our Boo can only comment with, “I envy kids with good pronunciation but don’t tease us who aren’t good.“

Woozi, who watched the entire interaction, can only laugh non-stop. And so did we. 

The nightmare of an English interview 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOHL1mNfFuM

As one of the hosts of the variety quiz show Unexpected Q in 2018, Seungkwan subjected himself to one of the show’s trademark portions, an interview in English. He couldn’t understand the first question which was, “What’s it like being an idol in Korea,” so he answered,

“Another… many… many mathematics.”

The next question was, “What did you do yesterday,” to which he answered, 

“I… I…” pointing to his head, “My hair… shampoo. Shampooed.”

Next question, “Have you ever been abroad?”

BSK: “This year… March… I went to Jeju Isand. Jeju is my hometown.”

Then, quickly realizing his mistake, he apologized and continued with, “Two days ago, I went… to L.A.“

Last set of questions: “What did you like most about L.A.?”

BSK: “I like L.A.’s weather.”

Prodded on with what he likes about the weather, he answered, 

“No cold… no hot… so so,” with matching gestures. 

Totally nailed that one, for sure.   

With his active participation in variety shows, we are sure to witness more struggles of our variety ace with the English language in the future.

Feature image: SEVENTEEN. Photo: SEVENTEEN/Facebook
Categories
FEATURES LATEST STORIES

Take a Random Girls’ Generation Quiz. You Know You Want To.

Girls' Generation 소녀시대 "I GOT A BOY" music video/SMTOWN/YouTube

August 5 came and went, which means The Nation’s Girl Group, Girls’ Generation, (sorry, ONCE), celebrated yet another anniversary. Reports surfaced that the girls have been planning for a reunion event on National MC Yoo Jaesuk’s talk show, Yoo Quiz on the Block, which unfortunately did not push through as one of the show’s staff tested positive for COVID-19. YouTube sensation Jaejae has also aggressively campaigned for all eight members to guest on her program MMTG once restrictions are relaxed and schedules are fixed. 

So, while Ms. Rona continues to ravage the world, why don’t you answer this Girls’ Generation trivia quiz? Score 1 point for every correct answer in the Easy category, 2 points for correct average answers, and 3 points for correct challenging answers. There are also opportunities to earn bonus points. Don’t tell me we haven’t awakened the competitive Sone in you.  Open your Notepad, indulge in some SNSD nostalgia, and see you in the answer key!

Trigger warning: OT8 purists may object to a number of questions as they reference OT9. 

Easy

In the 2020 Mnet Asia Music Awards, who did K-netz dub as the “lady in the red dress?”

  1. Tiffany
  2. Yoona
  3. Sooyoung
  4. Nobody among the members attended the 2020 MAMA.

Which of these English lines in SNSD songs are Yoona’s?

  1. “I like to party” in All Night
  2. “Check this out” in The Boys
  3. “Hey, turn it up” in Party
  4. All of these are The Eternal Center’s lines.

At which part of the song does Tiffany want to bring the song to in I Got a Boy? 

  1. From the beginning
  2. To 1:30
  3. To 1:40
  4. This is a trick question. 

Who was subject to a “bullying” hidden camera prank in an episode of Girls’ Generation’s Hello Baby, on her birthday?

  1. Sunny
  2. Seohyun
  3. Yuri
  4. I don’t remember anything of that sort.

Speaking of Hello Baby, during the first new episodes, Kyungsan cried every time he saw his mommy…

  1. Tiffany
  2. Sooyoung
  3. Jessica
  4. Baby Kyungsan was terrified of everyone. 

Average

Taeyeon has sung in OSTs of two dramas starring this actress.

  1. Park Shinhye
  2. Son Yejin
  3. IU
  4. Suzy 

What sport has Hyoyeon won a competition in?

  1. Dancesport
  2. Ski Racing
  3. Marathon
  4. Hyoyeon is the queen of all sports. 

In the music video for All Night, who was watching Sooyoung singing on stage?

  1. Yuri
  2. Yoona
  3. Sunny
  4. All 7 members.

Among these members, who was NOT born in California?

  1. Sunny
  2. Jessica
  3. Tiffany
  4. All of them were born in the USA. 

Jessica, recorded with Park Myeungsoo, a summer song about this classic summer staple:

  1. Patbingsoo
  2. Pina Colada
  3. Naengmyeon
  4. You’re talking about another member. 

Challenging

During the promotion for which single did the group have a car accident on their way to a music show?

  1. Kissing You
  2. Baby Baby
  3. Lionheart. 
  4. SNSD has never been in a car accident. 

On the first part of the music video for Catch Me If You Can, name the only member who wasn’t wearing a dog tag.

  1. Tiffany
  2. Taeyeon
  3. Yuri
  4. All of them wore dog tags.   

In the iconic Tokyo Dome performance of Into the New World in 2016, who covered Jessica’s first two lines, “teukbyeolhan gijeogeul gidariji ma, nunapeseon uriye geochin gireun”?

  1. Yoona
  2. Yuri
  3. Tiffany
  4. The group opted to be silent during that part. 

In the MV,  choreography and live stages of Mr Mr, who were directly at the back of Yuri as she sings the iconic line, “My-Mi-Mi Mister rock this world (echo world world world)”

  1. Sunny to her left, Sooyeon to her right
  2. Hyoyeon to her left,  Taeyeon to the right
  3. Jessica to the left, Yoona to the right
  4. Her two male dance partners. 

Arrange the members according to the numbers they wore on their jerseys for the Oh! music video, from lowest to highest. Give yourself an extra point if you can name all their numbers. That is, if their jerseys did have numbers.  

  1. Ti, Yoon, Tae, Sun, Yu, Sica, Soo, Hyo
  2. Tae, Yoon, Ti, Hyo, Sica, Yu, Sun, Soo
  3. There were no numbers on their jerseys, right?
  4. All of them wore no. 9.

Answer Key:

Easy 

  1. C. SNSD’s tallest, who by then also just finished her two-year service as a police officer, made an appearance as a presenter at the 2020 MAMAs, where she broke K-Internet as netizens wanted to make sure of who they were watching on TV. 
  2. D. All of the lines are Yoona’s 
  3. D. It was Jessica who sang, “Let’s bring it back to 1:40,” not Fany. 
  4. B. Maknae was made to feel bad for accidentally hitting Taeyeon with a camera and forgetting to buy rice for baby food. Of course, the girls succeeded in making the soft-hearted maknae cry once her surprise birthday party was unveiled.  
  5. A. For the first couple of episodes of Hello Baby, Tiffany had this habit of taking away things that the teething baby Kyungsan was biting. The luckiest baby on earth didn’t know better than his mommy Tiffany just being cautious as she thought that the things he was putting into his mouth were dirty, and so he kept crying everytime she approached him.      

Average

  1. C. The OST Queen has contributed to Scarlet Heart Ryeo and Hotel del Luna, starring Korea’s Little Sister.
  2. B. The Dancing Queen won a medal at the 13th National Association of Sports Ski Competition in 2014. 
  3. A. Yuri was in the crowd watching Sooyoung sing, and after a couple of scenes, she actually joins her on stage. 
  4. D. Tiffany and Jessica were both born in San Francisco, while Sunny was born in OC.  
  5. C. Jessica cemented her place in the Korean summer playlist as she recorded Naengmyon with variety show star Park Myungsoo in 2009. 

Challenging

  1. A. The girls struggled to get to Music Bank on time as their car clashed with another vehicle; so the girls in their teenybopper outfits and lollipop props had to walk all the way from the location of the accident to the KBS Public Hall, where MuBank was being filmed.
  2. B. Yuri, who also had the first line of the song, didn’t wear a dog tag. 
  3. A. Yoona covered Sica’s first lines when the group performed the ballad version of their debut song in Tokyo Dome, the first time they performed ITNW as OT8. 
  4. A. Sunny and Sooyoung were the ones directly behind Yuri. Look for Seventeen’s Seungkwan and Jaejae reenacting this iconic moment in a couple of MMTG episodes. 
  5. A.Tiffany: 0, Yoona: 7, Taeyeon: 9, Seohyun: 11, Sunny: 12,Yuri: 21, Jessica: 22, Sooyoung: 24, Hyoyeon: 32. The girls were asked for their favorite numbers. 

So, how did you fare? One thing’s for sure: Walking down memory lane with SNSD is one nostalgia trip everyone can surely enjoy.

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